We hold Open Mornings throughout the year each term, at both our Prep School in Leatherhead and our three Pre-Prep schools (Leatherhead, Epsom and Ashstead). To help working parents, we hold some events on a Saturday and try to make all Personal Tours at a convenient time to suit you.
 

What you can expect
At these Open events you will discover all the opportunities a Downsend education can offer. You’ll meet the Head get to tour the school, meet our children and chat to staff over refreshments. At our Prep school, the Upper School children will take you on a tour, tailored to you, lasting around 40 minutes.
 

Personal Tours
If you choose a week day Open Morning or Personal Tour, you will see our classrooms alive with action in the course of a normal teaching day. If you’d like to arrange a Personal Tour, our Registrar, Sarah Concanon can arrange this for you.  Please contact Sarah either by email ([email protected]) or telephone on 01372 372311 to book a place.

If you haven't booked, you are still very welcome to come along on the morning.

Alternatively, we are always happy to see you for a personal visit by individual appointment. 

We are not currently running Open Days or Personal Tours in their normal format, but we working on a suite of virtual experiences so you are able to get a real flavour for Downsend School without having to visit us. Please click on the link below to find out more.

Here are some of the reasons why parents choose Downsend:

• Over 90% of our children are working above National Average by the end of Year One;

• All Year 3 pupils receive specialist tuition in the flute, trumpet and violin, as part of the Downsend Music Programme;

• All pupils, including our Pre-Prep children, have access to expert coaching in a wide range of sports through the Downsend Academies;

• 68% of our pupils exceed their expected progress by the end of Year 6;

• On average, over 95% of our pupils pass the entrance test to their first choice senior school;

• 45% of our Year 8 pupils gained a scholarship to their senior school last year. 40% of these were academic.

Typically over 40 academic, sporting or creative scholarships are awarded each year to some of the top senior schools, including City of London Freemen's, Epsom College, Reigate Grammar and St John's. Some pupils achieve scholarships to schools further away, such as Tonbridge, Winchester College and Westminster.

EXCITING NEW DOWNSEND SENIOR SCHOOL & CREATIVE ARTS CENTRE FROM 2020

We are thrilled to announce the launch of our new Senior School which will educate girls and boys up to Year 11 from September 2020, seeing them through the completion of a new 3 year GCSE Programme. The development builds on Downsend’s track record as an established preparatory school with strong academics alongside character development and wellbeing, particularly in the areas of sport and the performing arts. 

Ian Thorpe, Headmaster, says: “We already have fantastic sports, science, DT and ICT facilities that would be the envy of many senior schools. Our reputation for preparing children for their senior school education is already established. The difference is our ability to better balance the pastoral and academic needs of pupils so that they enjoy their schooling with us whilst achieving their academic and personal successes.” 

“Over recent years, so many of our parents have expressed genuine sadness that their children could not continue at Downsend beyond Year 8. We are delighted to remedy this, and immensely proud to be bringing about this next phase of Downsend School’s history.”